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54 of 63 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Ain't nobody's business if you do..., March 19, 2001
Bear with me for a second while I try to explain about "Chinese Torture Chamber Story"....This movie, along with "Holy Weapon" and "Mad Monk" to name a few, fall into the category of "China looks like it's a different world". It has many elements that are foreign to our sensibilities (even though many Hong Kong movies aim to please Western audiences), a story line that is exploitive and sexually charged (but no moreso than, say, "Barbarella"), somewhat violent (but more on the level of "gross" than "visceral") and, ultimately very funny (if you don't take it too seriously). Confused? Don't worry, you're not alone. Set in the curtroom of a small town, Little Cabbage and her scholar lover are accused of murdering Little Cabbage's husband by slipping a powerful aphrodesiac into his medicine (the effect of the aphrodesic cannot be said here). They protest their innocence and are alternately tortured and questioned in front of a corrupt judicial tribunal to "tell the truth". The tortures are quite graphic and account for the more serious moments of the film... ... but it's not a serious movie. The nature of exploitation films is to make people believe that they're seeing something serious, but in actuality it's gross exaggerations and stereotypical characters mixed into a plot that can seamlessly show brutality, sex, fetishism, superpowers and kung-fu because they're all "integral" to the storyline. They turn out (mostly years after their initial release) to be dated pieces of celluloid tripe that draw cult followings... look at "Blackula" or "Cleopatra Jones" if you need an example of how this is done in America with moniority populations. "Chinese Torture Chamber Story" is no exception. One has only to look at this title to know that. C'mon, like the word "torture" *isn't* inflammatory. Please... Now for the confusing part: I like this film. I am one of those people who has seen this film and enjoyed it immensely. I'm sure if anyone knows anything about this film it's the famous in-flight coitus scene that can be found on the 'net for download. There are money shots that would kill people and a fabulous parody of "Ghost". In summary, I believe that many people will find this DVD offensive. Others will find it hysterical. Still others will find it at a friend's house, borrow it and never give it back. You decide which one you are for yourself. I'm the second and fourth types.
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DVD ~ Julie Lee
DVD ~ Ellen Chan
DVD ~ Grace Lam
DVD ~ Kazuyoshi Ozawa
DVD ~ Fong Yuk-ting
